A check of around Tk. 475 crore 25 lakh has been handed over for the first installment of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation’s (BSC) loan taken for the 6 ship purchase project. Chief advisor. Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain, Advisor to the Ministry of Shipping, handed over the check to Muhammad Yunus.

He handed over the check to the Chief Adviser at Yamuna, the Chief Adviser’s official residence, on Tuesday (November 26) evening.

At this time, the advisor of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology was present. Salehuddin Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Mohammad Yusuf and BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek and others.

According to a press release, a loan agreement was signed on October 14, 2016 between the Department of Economic Relations of the Government and China Exim Bank for the ‘Purchase of 6 New Ships’ project implemented with the aim of purchasing 6 ships on a G-to-G basis for BSC. Each vessel is approximately 39,000 DWT, comprising three new product oil tankers and three new bulk carriers.

The principal amount of the loan is 1 thousand 457 crore 67 lakh 98 thousand 784 taka in Bangladeshi currency. Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA) was signed between the Finance Department and BSC on October 27 this year to repay the loan. In view of that, about 2 thousand 425 crores will be paid to the government’s finance department and finance ministry from BSC in the next 13 years. Out of which the first installment check has been handed over to the Principal Adviser.

According to the press release of the Ministry of Shipping, 6 commercial ships have been added to the BSC fleet in 2018-2019 through the project. Out of the 6 ships acquired under this project, 5 ships (M.V. Bangla’s Jayayatra, MV Bangla’s Arjan, MT. Bangla’s Agrayatra, MT. Bangla’s Pioneer and MT. Bangla’s Progress) are currently involved in the international maritime transport of goods. Engaged in commercial activities.